Chief Special Adviser to the First Minister

Last updated
Wales
Chief Special Adviser to the First Minister
Prif Gynghorydd Arbennig y Prif Weinidog (Welsh)
Official portrait of Wayne David MP crop 2.jpg
Incumbent
Wayne David
since 1 January 2025
Member of Welsh Government
Reports to First Minister
Seat Crown Buildings, Cathays Park, Cardiff
AppointerFirst Minister
Term length At the First Minister's pleasure
Inaugural holderGareth Williams
Formation12 May 1999
Salary£101,088–£107,149 (est, 2023)

The Chief Special Adviser to the First Minister (Welsh: Prif Gynghorydd Arbennig y Prif Weinidog) is the chief of staff and most senior special adviser of the first minister of Wales.

Contents

History

After the creation of the National Assembly for Wales and the position of First Secretary of Wales in 1999, the inaugural first secretary Alun Michael employed a team of four special advisers in his office, including a chief of staff. [1] In May 2000, his successor Rhodri Morgan gave the chief of staff the title of Senior Special Adviser to the First Secretary. [2] In October 2000, the office of First Secretary of Wales was renamed First Minister of Wales. [3] The chief of staff's title also changed to reflect this, becoming Senior Special Adviser to the First Minister. [4] Under First Minister Carwyn Jones, the office was renamed Chief Special Adviser to the First Minister in 2016. [5] [6]

First Secretary Alun Michael's chief of staff was Gareth Williams, a Labour politician who stood in the 1999 European Parliament elections. [1] He resigned from the post when Michael resigned as first secretary in February 2000. [7] Michael's successor Rhodri Morgan brought in his ally Kevin Brennan to act as his chief of staff until a successor was found. [7] He appointed Paul Griffiths as his senior special adviser to the first secretary in May 2000. [2] After the office of First Secretary of Wales was renamed First Minister of Wales, [4] Morgan appointed another senior special adviser, Mark Drakeford, to serve alongside Griffiths [8] later that year. [9] Griffiths left the role in August 2007 [10] while Drakeford stepped down when Morgan resigned in 2009. [11]

During the One Wales coalition government between Labour and Plaid Cymru, First Minister Rhodri Morgan and his successor Carwyn Jones employed Anna Nicholl from Plaid Cymru [12] as a senior special adviser from 2008 to 2011. [13] [14] From May 2011 to May 2016, Jones's senior special adviser was Jo Kiernan. [15] [16] [17] In 2016, Jones appointed Matt Greenough to the role and renamed it Chief Special Adviser to the First Minister. [18] [6]

Carwyn Jones's successor Mark Drakeford appointed Jane Runeckles as his chief special adviser in December 2018. [19] [20] His successor Vaughan Gething appointed David Hagendyk as his adviser in March 2024. [21] Gething's successor Eluned Morgan appointed Rhodri Morgan's chief of staff Kevin Brennan as her chief special adviser on her ascendency to the premiership in August 2024. [22] [23] [24] In December 2024, she announced that he would leave the role after he was nominated for a peerage by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. She appointed former MP and MEP Wayne David as his successor from the new year onwards. [25] [26] [27]

Role

The chief special adviser is the first minister's chief of staff and their most senior special adviser.

List of officeholders

Chief of Staff to the First Secretary

Chief of StaffTerm of officePartyAdministration
No image (male).svg Gareth Williams12 May
1999		9 February
2000		 Labour Michael
Kevin Brennan (cropped).jpg Kevin Brennan
Acting		9 February
2000		May
2000		 Rhodri Morgan (interim)

Senior Special Adviser to the First Secretary

Senior Special AdviserTerm of officePartyAdministration
Paul Griffiths, Deputy Leader of Monmouthshire County Council.jpg Paul GriffithsMay
2000		16 October
2000		 Labour Rhodri Morgan (interim)

Senior Special Adviser to the First Minister

Senior Special AdviserTerm of officePartyGovernment
Paul Griffiths, Deputy Leader of Monmouthshire County Council.jpg
Mark Drakeford - National Assembly for Wales (cropped).jpg 		Paul Griffiths
Serving with Mark Drakeford
Mark Drakeford
Serving with Paul Griffiths
(2000–2007)
Serving with Anna Nicholl
(2008–2009)		16 October
2000		August
2007
(Griffiths)
10 December
2009
(Drakeford)		 Labour Rhodri Morgan I
( Lab.–L.D. )
Rhodri Morgan II
Rhodri Morgan III
Rhodri Morgan IV
( Lab.–P.C. )
No image (female).svg Anna Nicholl
Serving with Mark Drakeford
(2008–2009)		200811 May
2011		 Plaid
Jones I
( Lab.–P.C. )
No image (female).svg Jo Kiernan11 May
2011		5 May
2016		 Labour Jones II

Chief Special Adviser to the First Minister

Chief Special AdviserTerm of officePartyGovernment
No image (male).svg Matt Greenough19 May
2016		12 December
2018		 Labour Jones III
( Lab.–L.D.–Ind. )
No image (female).svg Jane Runeckles13 December
2018		20 March
2024		 Drakeford I
( Lab.–L.D.–Ind. )
Drakeford II
No image (male).svg David HagendykMarch
2024		5 August
2024		 Gething
Official portrait of Kevin Brennan MP crop 2.jpg Kevin Brennan 6 August
2024		31 December
2024		 Eluned Morgan
Official portrait of Wayne David MP crop 2.jpg Wayne David 1 January
2025		 Incumbent

See also

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References

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  22. ↑ Shipton, Martin (20 December 2024). "Carwyn Jones and Kevin Brennan go to the House of Lords". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  23. ↑ Shipton, Martin (25 July 2024). "Former MP Kevin Brennan to be top adviser to First Minister Eluned Morgan". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
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  27. ↑ Hicks, Tom (20 December 2024). "Former Caerphilly MP announced as new special adviser". Caerphilly Observer. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
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